Resistance based communication with a power unit of an aerosol generation device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12063983-B2
Application number	US-202117551990-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 15, 2021
Priority date	Dec 15, 2021
Publication date	Aug 20, 2024
Grant date	Aug 20, 2024

Abstract

A test fixture for testing aerosol provision devices may include one or more testing modules including a cavity configured to receive a portion of an aerosol provision device, processing circuitry operably coupled to the one or more testing modules, and an impedance-based interface module configured to detect insertion of the aerosol provision device into the test fixture and automatically transition the aerosol provision device to a locked state. The processing circuitry may be configured to provide a transition signal to the aerosol provision device to transition the aerosol provision device between the locked state and an unlocked state during a functional test controlled by the processing circuitry.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A test fixture for testing aerosol provision devices, the test fixture comprising:
one or more testing modules including a cavity configured to receive a portion of an aerosol provision device;
processing circuitry operably coupled to the one or more testing modules; and
an impedance-based interface module configured to detect insertion of the aerosol provision device into the test fixture and automatically transition the aerosol provision device to a locked state,
wherein the processing circuitry is configured to provide a transition signal to the aerosol provision device to transition the aerosol provision device between the locked state and an unlocked state during a functional test controlled by the processing circuitry.

2. The test fixture of claim 1 , wherein the impedance-based interface module comprises a microcontroller unit and a switch, the microcontroller unit being configured to operate the switch to define a locking pattern transmitted to the aerosol provision device responsive to insertion of the aerosol provision device into the cavity, the locking pattern causing the transition of the aerosol provision device to the locked state.

3. The test fixture of claim 2 , wherein the locking pattern is generated based on a change of impedance of a resistor network, the change of impedance being caused via operation of the switch.

4. The test fixture of claim 3 , wherein the resistor network comprises a first resistor having a first value and a second resistor having a second value, wherein the switch is in series with the second resistor, and both the switch and the second resistor are in parallel with the first resistor to alternately connect and disconnect the second resistor from contributing to an output impedance of the resistor network as sensed at the aerosol provision device based on a position of the switch.

5. The test fixture of claim 2 , wherein the locking pattern comprises a predetermined number of transitions from the first value to a third value, the third value being an equivalent resistance of the first value and the second value in parallel with each other.

6. The test fixture of claim 5 , wherein the locking pattern comprises three transitions between the first value and the third value.

7. The test fixture of claim 2 , wherein the locking pattern is transmitted for at least a predetermined period of time.

8. The test fixture of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller unit communicates a pattern for extraction of a unique identifier of the aerosol provision device after expiry of the predetermined period of time.

9. The test fixture of claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller unit communicates the locking pattern to the aerosol provision device a second time responsive to receipt of an indication of successful unlocking of the aerosol provision device by the test fixture.

10. The test fixture of claim 7 , wherein the microcontroller unit communicates a pattern for extraction of debugging data from the aerosol provision device after expiry of the predetermined period of time.

11. The test fixture of claim 1 , wherein the transition signal is provided to the aerosol provision device asynchronously.

12. The test fixture of claim 1 , wherein the transition signal is provided to the aerosol provision device synchronously.

13. The test fixture of claim 12 , wherein the transition signal is synchronized with a ping signal generated by the aerosol provision device during an active period of pinging responsive to detection of an end of an inactive period of pinging, the end of the inactive period corresponding with detecting the insertion of the aerosol provision device into the test fixture.

14. An impedance-based interface module for a test fixture for testing aerosol provision devices, the module comprising:
a switch;
a microcontroller unit configured to operate the switch to define a locking pattern communicated to an aerosol provision device responsive to operable coupling of the aerosol provision device to the test fixture; and
a resistor network operably coupled to the switch to define a different output impedance based on changing a position of the switch for defining the locking pattern.

15. The module of claim 14 , wherein the microcontroller unit generates the locking pattern automatically responsive to detection of insertion of the aerosol provision device into a cavity of the test fixture.

16. The module of claim 15 , wherein the locking pattern is generated based on a change of impedance of a resistor network, the change of impedance being caused via operation of the switch.

17. The module of claim 16 , wherein the resistor network comprises a first resistor having a first value and a second resistor having a second value, wherein the switch is in series with the second resistor, and both the switch and the second resistor are in parallel with the first resistor to alternately connect and disconnect the second resistor from contributing to an output impedance of the resistor network as sensed at the aerosol provision device based on a position of the switch.

18. The module of claim 15 , wherein the locking pattern comprises a predetermined number of transitions from the first value to a third value, the third value being an equivalent resistance of the first value and the second value in parallel with each other.

19. The module of claim 18 , wherein the locking pattern comprises three transitions between the first value and the third value.

20. The module of claim 15 , wherein the locking pattern is transmitted for at least a predetermined period of time.

21. The module of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller unit communicates a pattern for extraction of a unique identifier of the aerosol provision device after expiry of the predetermined period of time.

22. The module of claim 21 , wherein the microcontroller unit communicates the locking pattern to the aerosol provision device a second time responsive to receipt of an indication of successful unlocking of the aerosol provision device by the test fixture.

23. The module of claim 20 , wherein the microcontroller unit communicates a pattern for extraction of debugging data from the aerosol provision device after expiry of the predetermined period of time.

24. The module of claim 14 , wherein the locking pattern is provided to the aerosol provision device asynchronously.

25. The module of claim 14 , wherein the locking pattern is provided to the aerosol provision device synchronously.

26. The module of claim 25 , wherein the locking pattern is synchronized with a ping signal generated by the aerosol provision device during an active period of pinging responsive to detection of an end of an inactive period of pinging, the end of the inactive period corresponding with detecting the insertion of the aerosol provision device into the test fixture.

Assignees

• Rai Strategic Holdings Inc

Inventors

• Daugherty Sean

Classifications

• A24F40/10

  Devices using liquid inhalable precursors · CPC title

• A24F40/80 Primary

  Testing · CPC title

• A24F40/65

  Devices with integrated communication means, e.g. wireless communication means · CPC title

• A24F40/53

  Monitoring, e.g. fault detection · CPC title

• A24F40/50

  Control or monitoring · CPC title